Kean University on Thursday officially earned an R2 research university designation under the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education — a significant milestone in Kean’s rapid transformation into a premier research institution and another plus for higher education in the state.
The designation means Kean is now recognized among the top eight percent of colleges and universities nationwide for research and doctorate production.
Kean joins Montclair State, Rutgers-Camden, Rutgers-Newark, Rowan, Seton Hall and Stevens as R2 schools in the state.
Rutgers, Princeton and NJIT are the state’s three R1 universities.
The Carnegie Classification system is an indication of the amount of research being done at a university. Kean earned the R2 distinction because its research expenditures exceeded $10 million during the 2022-2023 fiscal year, and Kean awarded 26 research doctorates during that time, meeting the Carnegie criteria for R2 classification.
Kean President Lamont Repollet, who has been pushing research since his arrival in 2020, obviously was thrilled.
“Reaching this tremendous milestone has been my goal since I became president, and I am incredibly proud of our faculty, staff and students who helped make it a reality,” he said.
“This status is a shared accomplishment that reflects Kean’s strengths and our commitment to academic excellence. We are building a research culture that will shape the future of Kean and drive meaningful change for our students and communities.”
The R2 designation not only will raise the university’s prestige nationally, strengthen faculty and student recruitment, it also will open doors for additional grant funding and research partnerships.
Among other benefits, the R2 designation will expand opportunities for faculty by providing increased access to research funding and collaborative projects with other top-tier institutions.
“The R2 designation infuses new energy and recognizes the scholarly work of our high-caliber faculty,” Sucheta Ahlawat, chair of the University Senate, said. “Moving forward, this will enhance the trajectory of scholarly output, expand funding opportunities, retain outstanding talent, and strengthen our institution’s commitment to supporting innovative research.
“This will also translate to more research opportunities for students, preparing them for impactful careers in academia and beyond.”
The designation did not happen by accident.
Kean’s research initiatives have expanded significantly in recent years, with a strong focus on faculty-student research. The university’s Research Days program started as a small event and now involves more than 1,000 student and faculty participants annually.
Kean also has invested in expanding its research infrastructure, hiring more than 150 tenure-track faculty in recent years to work alongside students on impactful research projects in public health, environmental science, architecture, computer science and other disciplines.
Kean University Board of Trustees Chair Steve Fastook said Repollet’s leadership has been instrumental in reaching this milestone.
“The growth of Kean over the past several years has been nothing short of remarkable,” he said. “President Repollet leads this institution with a clear vision, and the R2 designation is proof of Kean’s incredible progress.”
David Birdsell, the current provost and senior vice president for academic affairs, agreed.
“Kean always cared about fostering student research, but bringing aboard such a large number of highly productive research scholars supercharged the academic culture on campus,” he said. “This designation is a testament to our faculty’s expertise and dedication, and it provides students with invaluable hands-on research opportunities to prepare them for their careers.”
Kean’s growth is reflected in three consecutive years of record enrollment, signaling the university’s rising reputation and appeal to students from across the region.
“We focus on strengthening systems, expanding resources and positioning Kean as a top research institution,” senior vice president Michael Salvatore said. “The results are clear – this university is on an incredible upward trajectory, and our students benefit from these transformative changes.”
Jeffrey Toney, who previously served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Kean and is now a visiting professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, isn’t surprised.
“A decade ago, I knew that Kean had the potential to achieve this,” he said. “We built a culture where student research was a priority, and that transformed the University. Research now touches every academic discipline at Kean.”
The state of New Jersey named Kean its first and only urban research university in 2021.
New Jersey Secretary of Higher Education Brian Bridges said the designation shows the designation was meaningful.
“Kean University’s achievement in earning an R2 research designation reflects New Jersey’s commitment to expanding opportunity and driving innovation through higher education,” he said.
“This milestone opens new research opportunities for students across the state and will draw top research talent, further strengthening New Jersey’s ability to tackle complex real-world challenges.
